6 Tips to Bulk Buying for Big Savings

We’ve all heard that buying in bulk can save you money, but is that always true? Follow these six simple tips for big savings:
1) Bigger is not always better. Do the math on every item you are considering. Don’t look at the size of the packaging. Figure out the cost per ounce.

2) Nothing is a good deal if you end up throwing it out. Granola bars are great. But are you hoping that your family will eat more granola, or do they actually love it already? Think of the items that you have on your shopping list at least once a month. The goal is to buy the best cost per ounce, but only buy as much as you can eat before the item expires.

3) Try to stick to items that are good fuel for your body. If your household is anything like mine, when there is junk food to eat, that will be the first choice when you are looking for something to eat. Choose items that help your budget in the long run, but don’t expand your family’s waistlines in the process.

4) Bulk buying doesn’t just mean buying a bigger size. Look at the grocery ad for the week. What is on sale? Could you buy three 99 cent packages of brown sugar instead of one? Look for the deals and see how many of them you can work into your plan.

5) If you buy in bulk all at once, it can be shocking to your bank account. Another option is to bulk buy slowly by spending a small percentage of your weekly grocery budget towards some bulk purchases. Even $10 a week will help. Prioritize what foods are important to your family and start with that. Maybe in week one you buy flour. Week two is oats or oatmeal. By the end of three months, you have started a cycle that will pay off with savings.

6) If extra storage room at your home is a challenge, you will have to get a little creative. Can you keep smaller amounts in the kitchen and move the larger backup amount into another area? Consider sealed boxes under beds. The top shelf of the coat closet or a shelf in the garage.
The advantages of bulk buying aren’t limited to dollars and cents. Your time is worth something too. If you have extra of your most used items, that means fewer trips to the store which saves you travel costs and less impulse buys because you are at the store less often.

Buying in bulk can save you time and money if you do it right. Happy shopping and happy saving!